Skip to main contentCambridge University Reporter

No 6248

Wednesday 7 December 2011

Vol cxlii No 13

pp. 304–325

Notices

Calendar

19 December, Monday. Michaelmas Term ends.

5 January, Thursday. Lent Term begins.

11 January, Wednesday. First ordinary number of the Reporter in the Lent Term.

17 January, Tuesday. Full Term begins.

21 January, Saturday. Congregation of the Regent House at 2 p.m.

24 January, Tuesday. Discussion at 2 p.m. in the Senate-House (see below). End of first quarter of Lent Term.

Notice of a Discussion on Tuesday, 24 January 2012

The Vice-Chancellor invites those qualified under the regulations for Discussions (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 107) to attend a Discussion in the Senate-House, on Tuesday, 24 January, at 2 p.m., for the discussion of:

1. Annual Report of the Council for the academical year 2010–11, dated 21 November 2011 (Reporter, 2011–12, p. 216).

2. Annual Report of the General Board to the Council for the academical year 2010–11, dated 2 November 2011 (Reporter, 2011–12, p. 222).

3. Reports and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 July 2011 (Reporter, 2011–12, p. 227).

4. Joint Report of the Council and the General Board, dated 28 November 2011 and 2 November 2011, on the provision of sites and buildings regulations (Reporter, 2011–12, p. 269).

5. Report of the Faculty Board of Clinical Medicine, dated 28 November 2011, on the M.D. Degree (Reporter, 2011–12, p. 314).

Queen’s Diamond Jubilee arrangements: Notice

5 December 2011

Tuesday, 5 June, 2012 will be a Bank Holiday to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The Spring Bank Holiday has been transferred to Monday, 4 June, 2012.

The Council gives notice of the following arrangements for these days. The University Library and the Fitzwilliam Museum will be open. The University Offices, except for the Board of Examinations and associated functions, will be closed and there will be no University Messenger Service on those days. Examinations will be held as usual.

As is the usual arrangement for Bank Holidays that fall within Term, all staff who normally work on that Tuesday will be entitled to an additional day of leave to be taken on the same basis as the other public holidays that fall within Term.

EU Public Procurement Regulations: Notice

5 December 2011

The Council, on the advice of the Finance Committee, has declared that the University continues to remain outside the scope of the EU Public Procurement Regulations as it is less than 50% publicly funded. The calculation is carried out annually to ensure that it remains possible to make the declaration. It is the Council’s intention that the University’s procurement procedures should continue to follow the good practice set out in the regulations and in the University’s Financial Regulations (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 970, see also http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/finance/regulations/finregs/purchasing.html).

University Composition Fees: Notice

5 December 2011

Undergraduate and related fees for 2012–13

By Grace 1 of 23 February 2011, the University approved proposing an access agreement with the Director of the Office for Fair Access to Higher Education (OFFA) in order to permit the University to charge the higher fee of £9,000 for new Home/EU undergraduate students commencing courses in 2012–13. The access agreement was approved by the Director of OFFA in July 2011.

The Government has now announced the capped rates for continuing Home/EU undergraduate students, which are included in the attached schedule. The increases in fees in 2012–13 over 2011–12 are (rounded) 2.6% for ‘old system’ students (i.e. those few students remaining who commenced courses before 2006–07 or who started the course before 1 September 2007 having deferred entry from an earlier year) and 2.7% for ‘new system’ students (i.e. those students who commenced courses after 2006–07 but before 2012–13).

Fees for ELQ students

For Home/EU students following courses leading to a qualification which is equivalent to, or at a lower level than, a qualification they possessed when they began their course (ELQ students) the fees for continuing students who commenced a course in 2009–10 or later will be increased by the same rate as for other Home students; £9,000 will be charged to new students commencing courses in 2012–13.

Fees for co-funded students

HEFCE will not co-fund any new admissions in 2012. A continuing co-funded rate is needed for a short period.

Fees for non-Cambridge Home/EU students following courses leading to the M.A.St. Degree

The fee for non-Cambridge Home/EU students following courses leading to the M.A.St. Degree is held at the undergraduate continuation rate; this is only slightly below the current postgraduate rate. The Council proposes that the fee in due course rises to a value which is the same as the Home/EU undergraduate fee at that time, less the College fee at the rate those students will pay.

Island fees

Island fees are charged to Island students unless an individual’s personal circumstances mean that the regulated Home rate applies. The University has customarily adopted the Island rates recommended by UUK, in four bands above the Home/EU, but below the Overseas, rates. Island students are not fundable by HEFCE and no supplementary funding is received. The fees are not capped. No university is obliged to follow the recommendations and some do not. There are currently two sets of fees depending on when students commenced their course, mirroring the arrangements for Home students. The University does not transfer the College fee for Island students.

UUK is no longer recommending rates but forwarded on 27 October 2011 a request by the Island governments that

(1) ‘old regime’ (i.e. continuing) students should continue to be charged fees at the current level, uprated for inflation each year. The inflation rate proposed is the All Items Retail Prices Excluding Mortgage Interest Payments (RPI-X) index as set out in the UK Student Fees (Inflation Index) Regulations 206 (SI 2006 No 507). The RPI-X twelve month change to September 2011, released on 18 October, is 5.7% as at September 2011. That figure has been used in the attached Schedule to inflate the Island fee rates for continuing students.

(2) Island students enrolling on programmes of study in 2012–13 should be charged the same fee as the charge made to English students for an identical course, with a ‘premium’, determined by HEFC(E), for Price Group A.

The proposal would lead to students in Price Group A being charged a lower fee than students admitted in earlier years. The resource attached to a Price Group B student would be less than the resource (T + Fees) for an equivalent Home student, and would also lead to a reduced fee for some other courses.

The Council recommend that for 2012–13 the University adopts the Islands’ recommendations for Bands 1 and 2 so that the fee will be £9,000 as proposed. The fee for Band 3 (Price Group B) will be £10,500, equating to the Home fee plus the provisional T grant. The Island proposal for the clinical rate (Band 1, Price Group A) is the continuing student rate, rounded up to £24,000 to maintain a differential.

For the future there would appear to be no distinction between an Island student who is not categorized as Home/EU under the Fee Support Regulations and all other students who pay the unregulated or Overseas fee rates. The Council consider that it would be unwise to introduce or maintain for longer than necessary a reduced rate of unregulated fee charged solely on the basis of a particular domicile.

The Council therefore proposes that for 2013–14 the separate category of ‘Island’ fee for newly admitted students, at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, be abolished. Transitional arrangements will continue to be made for those already admitted.

The Council is submitting a Grace (Grace 1, p. 325) for the approval of the revised fees set out in the Schedule attached to this Notice.

SCHEDULE

Table 2A: Continuing Home/EU students

The following rates shall apply to undergraduate student members of the University who started a relevant course before 1 September 2012 (continuing students).1

‘Old System’ students in 2012–13 are those who were liable for the ‘continuing student’ fee in 2011–12.

Home and EU Continuing Students

Old System

New System

who started a relevant course before 1 September 2006 or who started the course before 1 September 2007 having deferred entry from an earlier year

who started a relevant course on or after 1 September 2006 and before 1 September 2012, except those to whom the old system fee applies

Continuing students:

Annual fee (£)

Annual fee (£)

(2012–13)

(2012–13)

B.A. Degree:

Group 1

1,380

3,465

Group 2 and 3

1,380

3,465

Group 4 and 5

1,380

3,465

Year abroad fees (Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Law, Modern and Medieval Languages, Oriental Studies)

680

1,725

B.Th. Degree

1,380

3,465

Medical and Veterinary Degrees: M.B., B.Chir. Degrees, Vet.M.B. Degree

1,380

3,465

M.Eng. Degree and M.Sci. Degree

1,380

3,465

Mus.B. Degree

1,380

3,465

Certificate in Humanities Computing for Languages

1,380

3,465

Table 2B: Home/EU ELQ students

The following rates shall apply to Home/EU students commencing a course in 2009–10 or later years leading to a qualification which is equivalent to, or at a lower level than, a qualification they possessed when they began their course (ELQ students).1

ELQ students:

Continuing students

who started a relevant course before 1 September 2012

Students who started a relevant course on or after 1 September 2012

Home and EU undergraduate other than Channel Islands and Isle of Man:

Annual fee (£)

(2012–13)

Annual fee (£)

(2012–13)

B.A. Degree:

Group 1

7,128

9,000

Group 2 and 3 (except Architecture)

7,128

9,000

Architecture

3,465

9,000

Group 4 and 5

7,128

9,000

Year abroad fees (Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Law, Modern and Medieval Languages, Oriental Studies)

1,725

4,500

B.Th. Degree

7,128

9,000

Medical and Veterinary Degrees: M.B., B.Chir. Degrees, Vet.M.B. Degree

3,465

9,000

M.Eng. Degree and M.Sci. Degree

7,128

9,000

Mus.B. Degree

7,128

9,000

Certificate in Humanities Computing for Languages

7,128

9,000

P.G.C.E.

3,465

See main table

Footnotes

  • 1Students who have proceeded to the B.A. Degree but have been given leave to read for another Tripos ‘not for honours’ are deemed to be ELQ students for the purpose of their fee liability.


Table 2C: Co-funded students

The following rates shall apply to students commencing a course in 2009–10 or later years and before 1 September 2012 which is equivalent to, or at a lower level than, a qualification they possessed when they began their course and for whom the University receives part-funding (co-funded students). There are no part-funded courses to which students will be admitted on or after 1 September 2012.

Continuing students

who started a relevant course before 1 September 2012

Home and EU undergraduate other than Channel Islands and Isle of Man:

Annual fee (£)

(2012–13)

Co-funded students:

B.A. Degree:

Groups 1–5

3,465

Year abroad fees (Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Law, Modern and Medieval Languages, Oriental Studies)

1,725

B.Th. Degree:

3,465

Table 2D: Island students

The following rates shall apply to undergraduate student members of the University for whom the Island rate of fees applies.

Continuing Island students

New regime Island students

Island students

Who started a relevant course before 1 September 2006 or who started the course before 1 September 2007 having deferred entry from an earlier year

Other continuing students who started a relevant course before

1 September 2012

Who start a relevant course on or after 1 September 2012

Who start a relevant course on or after 1 September 2013

Continuing students:

Annual fee

(£)

Annual fee

(£)

Annual fee

(£)

Category abolished for newly admitted students. The applicable overseas rate will apply.

(2012–13)

(2012–13)

(2012–13)

B.A. Degree:

Group 1

5,178

6,546

9,000

Group 2 and 3

6,732

8,211

9,000

Group 4 and 5

8,805

10,428

10,500

Year abroad fees (Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Law, Modern and Medieval Languages, Oriental Studies)

2,589

3,273

4,500

B.Th. Degree

5,178

6,354

9,000

Medical and Veterinary Degrees: M.B., B.Chir. Degrees, Vet.M.B. Degree

20,715

23,187

24,000

M.Eng. Degree and M.Sci. Degree

8,805

10,428

10,500

Mus.B. Degree

6,732

7,971

9,000

Certificate in Humanities Computing for Languages

8,805

10,428

10,500

M.A.St.

n/a

10,428

10,500

Astrophyics

10,428

10,500

Materials Science

10,428

10,500

Mathematics

8,211

9,000

Physics

10,428

10,500

Progress of Medical and Veterinary Students and review of Faculty Board decisions: Notice

5 December 2011

The Council and the General Board have received proposals from the Faculty Boards of Biology, Clinical Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine to introduce procedures to review or advise on the progress of preclinical and clinical medical and veterinary students and from the Faculty Boards of Clinical Medicine and Veterinary Medicine to introduce a procedure to review decisions by these Faculty Boards in respect of requests for additional attempts at the 2nd M.B. and Final M.B. and the 2nd Vet.M.B. and Final Vet.M.B. examinations.

In 2004 the University approved regulations to govern procedures for dealing with questions of the fitness to practise medicine of preclinical and clinical medical students (Grace 1 of 15 December 2004). The procedures were revised and similar procedures for veterinary students were introduced in 2009 (Grace 2 and 3 of 10 June 2009).

Medical and Veterinary Student Progress Panel

The Faculty Boards of Biology, Clinical Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine now propose to formalize the arrangements they have in place to monitor, amongst other matters, the academic progress of preclinical and clinical medical and veterinary students. The arrangements include the establishment of a Medical and Veterinary Student Progress Panel which would be a joint body of the Faculty Boards in consultation with the Colleges. The panel would consider academic performance including failure in M.B. or Vet.M.B. examinations, ill health, and other causes for concern about a student’s conduct which did not merit immediate referral to the Fitness for Medical Practice Committee or Fitness for Veterinary Practice Committee. Draft regulations are set out in Annex 1 to this Notice.

Review procedure

The Faculty Boards of Clinical Medicine and Veterinary Medicine also propose to institute a review procedure of decisions by the Faculty Boards in respect of requests for additional attempts at the 2nd M.B. and Final M.B. and the 2nd Vet.M.B. and Final Vet.M.B. examinations. The review procedure has been developed following a ruling by the Office of the Independent Adjudicator. The Senior Tutors’ Committee and the Faculty Board of Biology endorse the proposal. Draft amendments to the regulations for the M.B., B.Chir. and Vet.M.B. Degrees (Statutes and Ordinances, pp. 455 and 525) are set out in Annex 2 to this Notice.

The Council, after consultation with the General Board and the Senior Tutors’ Committee, has agreed to submit Graces to the Regent House (Graces 2 and 3, p. 325) for the approval of the procedures to determine the progress of preclinical and clinical medical students and preclinical and clinical veterinary students as set out in the Annexes to this Notice.

ANNEX 1

PROCEDURES TO DETERMINE THE PROGRESS OF PRECLINICAL AND CLINICAL MEDICAL STUDENTS AND PRECLINICAL AND CLINICAL VETERINARY STUDENTS

Introduction

1. The Medical and Veterinary Student Progress Panel (MVSPP) shall be a joint body of the Faculty Boards of Biology, Clinical Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine in consultation with the Colleges.

2. The MVSPP shall review or advise on the progress of a student having regard to:

i   academic performance including failure in M.B. or Vet.M.B. examinations;

ii   ill health.

Additionally, the advice of the MVSPP may be sought as a result of:

iii   cause for concern about the student’s conduct but not meriting immediate referral to the Fitness for Medical Practice Committee or Fitness for Veterinary Practice Committee.

The Roles, Duties, and Composition of the Medical and Veterinary Student Progress Panel (MVSPP)

3. The MVSPP shall consist of:

(a)the Director of Medical Education in the Clinical School (who shall chair the MVSPP);

(b)the Director of Education (Biological Sciences) in the Faculty of Biology;

(c)the Director of Teaching in the Veterinary School;

(d)the Associate Clinical Dean, West Suffolk Hospital;

(e)three members appointed by the Senior Tutors’ Committee;

(f)one member appointed by the Faculty Board of Biology;

(g)one member appointed by the Faculty Board of Clinical Medicine;

(h)one member appointed by the Faculty Board of Veterinary Medicine;

(i)an administrative officer appointed by the Faculty Board of Clinical Medicine and an administrative officer appointed by the Faculty Board of Veterinary Medicine (who shall act as joint secretaries to the MVSPP).

4. In respect of each individual case before the MVSPP, all members of the MVSPP shall be required to make a declaration of interest in the case.

5. Members in classes (e)–(h) shall be appointed in the Michaelmas Term to serve for three years from 1 January following their appointment.

6. The duties of the MVSPP shall include:

(a)to meet termly, and whenever there is any business to consider, to provide expert advice to the Colleges, and to work with Colleges to ensure that students who have not achieved the required academic standard or are experiencing health or other personal problems receive appropriate support;

(b)to review the progression of all students annually in the Michaelmas Term;

(c)to review all requests made on behalf of medical and veterinary students for additional attempts in exceptional circumstances at M.B. and Vet.M.B. examinations, and to give advice to the relevant Faculty Board;

(d)to prepare an annual summary report on any issues arising for the attention of Senior Tutors and Faculty Boards.

7. Five members shall constitute a quorum. The MVSPP shall report to the Faculty Boards of Biology, Clinical Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine.

ANNEX 2

AMENDMENTS TO THE REGULATIONS FOR THE M.B., B.CHIR. DEGREES (New Curriculum Regulations, Statutes and Ordinances, p. 455)

Regulation 13(c).

By amending the proviso so as to read:

(c) subject to Regulation 28, no student shall be a candidate in any subject on more than two occasions in total.

Regulation 21(e).

By amending the proviso so as to read:

(e) subject to Regulation 28, if a candidate fails to satisfy the Examiners in either Part or in any component of Part II or Part III on one occasion subsequent to her or his first candidature for that Part or that component, he or she shall not be re-examined in that Part or that component again except by special permission of the Faculty Board in exceptional circumstances.

And by inserting a new Regulation 28 so as to read:

28. The Faculty Board of Clinical Medicine shall establish a procedure1 for the review of decisions taken by them in respect of students who have applied exceptionally for an additional attempt at a Second M.B., or Final M.B. examination under Regulations 13 and 21(e). No person who applies for review under the procedure so established shall be entitled to apply also for review of the same matter under the procedure for determining complaints by members of the University in statu pupillari established under the Regulation for complaints by students.2

APPENDIX

REVIEW OF DECISIONS OF THE FACULTY BOARD OF CLINICAL MEDICINE UNDER REGULATION 28

1. A student, or her or his Tutor with the student’s consent, may seek review of a decision in relation to that student made by the Faculty Board of Clinical Medicine.

2. A request for review shall be made in writing, stating the grounds of review, and be sent to the Registrary, normally within three weeks of written notification of the decision of the Faculty Board of Clinical Medicine (unless, in exceptional circumstances, the Registrary or a deputy permits a longer period). The Registrary shall communicate the request for review to the Secretary of the Faculty Board.

3. If the request includes, in the opinion of the Chair of the Faculty Board, relevant additional information not previously available, the Faculty Board will reconsider its decision at its next meeting following receipt of the request. If no such additional information is included or if, on reconsideration, the decision is reaffirmed by the Faculty Board, the procedure described in the following paragraphs shall apply.

4. The Registrary or a deputy will appoint a reviewer chosen from a panel of potential reviewers maintained by the Council.

5. The reviewer will consider the request, the documentation available to the Faculty Board (less any confidential medical information), the Ordinances which apply to the Faculty Board’s decision, and the Faculty Board’s Notes of Guidance. He or she will obtain an opinion from the Faculty Board, seek such other information as he or she may require and, at her or his discretion, may hold a hearing (but there is no obligation to hold a hearing). The reviewer will issue an adjudication in writing as soon as possible, stating findings of fact, conclusions, and, if any, recommendations, for consideration by the Faculty Board. The reviewer shall be concerned with determining whether there is evidence of: the Faculty Board having made a decision, to the detriment of the student, which is inconsistent with the relevant Ordinances or its own Notes of Guidance; or material circumstances of which the Faculty Board was unaware and which were of such a nature as, had the Faculty Board been so aware, to have been likely to cause the Faculty Board to have reached a different decision.

6. The Faculty Board of Clinical Medicine shall normally accept the recommendation of the reviewer. If, exceptionally, the reviewer’s recommendation is not accepted, a written explanation shall be provided to the reviewer, the student, and her or his Tutor, and shall be submitted to the Council. The Faculty Board may decide not to accept a recommendation in any instance in which: (i) the reviewer has sought to make a decision replacing that of the Faculty Board; (ii) the reviewer’s recommendation is inconsistent with the relevant Ordinances; or (iii) the reviewer’s recommendation is such that, were it to be accepted, it would set a precedent which would not be in the interests of the proper conduct of Faculty Board’s business or in the wider interests of the University or the General Medical Council. The Council (or an officer appointed by it) should be satisfied that the Faculty Board’s written explanation is consistent with one or more of these instances.

7. The conclusion of the consideration by the Faculty Board of Clinical Medicine of any recommendation of a review shall be the normal final point of decision within the University. Any subsequent review would normally be by the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA).

8. The reviewer may summarily dismiss an application which seems to her or him to be vexatious or frivolous.

AMENDMENTS TO THE REGULATIONS FOR THE VET.M.B. DEGREE (Revised Regulations, Statutes and Ordinances, p. 525)

Regulation 11.

By amending the third proviso so as to read:

(iii) subject to Regulation 26, no student shall be a candidate in any subject on more than two occasions in total.

Regulation 19(c).

By amending the regulation so as to read:

(c) subject to Regulation 26, no student shall be a candidate for any Part, or for any subject, paper, or section of a Part on more than three occasions.

And by inserting a new Regulation 26 so as to read:

26. The Faculty Board of Veterinary Medicine shall establish a procedure3 for the review of decisions taken by them in respect of students who have applied exceptionally for an additional attempt at any Part of the Vet.M.B. examination under Regulations 11 or 19(c). No person who applies for review under the procedure so established shall be entitled to apply also for review of the same matter under the procedure for determining complaints by members of the University in statu pupillari established under the Regulation for complaints by students.4

APPENDIX

REVIEW OF DECISIONS OF THE FACULTY BOARD OF VETERINARY MEDICINE UNDER REGULATION 26

1. A student, or her or his Tutor with the student’s consent, may seek review of a decision in relation to that student made by the Faculty Board of Veterinary Medicine.

2. A request for review shall be made in writing, stating the grounds of review, and be sent to the Registrary, normally within three weeks of written notification of the decision of the Faculty Board of Veterinary Medicine (unless, in exceptional circumstances, the Registrary or a deputy permits a longer period). The Registrary shall communicate the request for review to the Secretary of the Faculty Board.

3. If the request includes, in the opinion of the Chair of the Faculty Board, relevant additional information not previously available, the Faculty Board will reconsider its decision at its next meeting following receipt of the request. If no such additional information is included or if, on reconsideration, the decision is reaffirmed by the Faculty Board, the procedure described in the following paragraphs shall apply.

4. The Registrary or a deputy will appoint a reviewer chosen from a panel of potential reviewers maintained by the Council.

5. The reviewer will consider the request, the documentation available to the Faculty Board (less any confidential medical information), the Ordinances which apply to the Faculty Board’s decision, and the Faculty Board’s Notes of Guidance. He or she will obtain an opinion from the Faculty Board, seek such other information as he or she may require and, at her or his discretion, may hold a hearing (but there is no obligation to hold a hearing). The reviewer will issue an adjudication in writing as soon as possible, stating findings of fact, conclusions, and, if any, recommendations, for consideration by the Faculty Board. The reviewer shall be concerned with determining whether there is evidence of: the Faculty Board having made a decision, to the detriment of the student, which is inconsistent with the relevant Ordinances or its own Notes of Guidance; or material circumstances of which the Faculty Board was unaware and which were of such a nature as, had the Faculty Board been so aware, to have been likely to cause the Faculty Board to have reached a different decision.

6. The Faculty Board of Veterinary Medicine shall normally accept the recommendation of the reviewer. If, exceptionally, the reviewer’s recommendation is not accepted, a written explanation shall be provided to the reviewer, the student, and her or his Tutor, and shall be submitted to the Council. The Faculty Board may decide not to accept a recommendation in any instance in which: (i) the reviewer has sought to make a decision replacing that of the Faculty Board; (ii) the reviewer’s recommendation is inconsistent with the relevant Ordinances; or (iii) the reviewer’s recommendation is such that, were it to be accepted, it would set a precedent which would not be in the interests of the proper conduct of the Faculty Board’s business or in the wider interests of the University or the Royal College of Veterinary Medicine. The Council (or an officer appointed by it) should be satisfied that the Faculty Board’s written explanation is consistent with one or more of these instances.

7. The conclusion of the consideration by the Faculty Board of Veterinary Medicine of any recommendation of a review shall be the normal final point of decision within the University. Any subsequent review would normally be by the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA).

8. The reviewer may summarily dismiss an application which seems to her or him to be vexatious or frivolous.

Footnotes